(FREE) ECA Membership, Amazon Codes are down for time being

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emeraldgsl

emeraldgsl

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No begging for codes. Beggars will be permabanned on the spot.

[img-l=5198]6006[/img-l]Get 10% off all your Amazon gaming purchases for a year and receive other special benefits by joining the ECA, a non-profit advocacy organization which is dedicated to defending and advancing the interests of gamers. Codes aren't available at the moment, unknown ETA when/if they'll be back.

icon4.gif
Join the ECA $14.99 (college students & military), others $19.99

(Free memberships available, see below.)

Complete list of discounts/benfits [hiddenlist]
Discounted games sales/rental offerings from:

  • Amazon.com - download a code from the Benefits section to use at Amazon.com towards 10% off your games purchases. If you buy three or more games a year, this benefit alone makes being a member worth it.
  • Direct2Drive.com - download your code from the ECA's exclusive member benefits section to use at Direct2Drive.com towards 10% off your game purchases.Direct2Drive's easy and secure system lets you download full pc games, arcade games, anime, game guides, and comics from home instead of dealing with waiting time and inventory stock-outs. Check out thier site for the best way to buy!
  • GameFly - is offering ECA members a 30-day free trial to their video game rental service.
  • Good Old Games - a leading destination for download-to-own DRM-free classic PC games, is offering members 20% off of new game purchases.
  • Newegg/Patriot Gaming - get $10 off when you buy select memory sticks.
Discounted admission/access offerings from:

  • NYComiCon - is offering members a discount on the price of admission.
  • Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) - members receive 10% off the price of admission to the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington for pre-registrants.
  • TooManyGames - get $1 off entry to gaming community events.
  • VGXPO - America's Video Game Expo is offering 10% discounted admission.
Discounted/Free Trial offerings from:

  • GameJobs - ECA members receive free resume uploads at GameJobs.com, the leading job board and career site serving the games business.
  • Hyatt Hotels - members receive a 5-10% discount on room rates at Hyatt Hotels throughout the US and Canada.
  • Prima Publishing - get 10% off of over 500 hint book and strategy guides.
  • Warcry - ECA members are invited to take advantage of a 30-day free trial membership in the Warcry Network's "Choice" program.
[/hiddenlist]

[quote name='dallascowboys']If you use the code GIMAG on theeca.com (found in an article of the new Crackdown GI issue), you can receive a free, full 1 year membership (I think it's only for new accounts). You do need a credit card to sign up, but if you cancel before the 1 year is up, you won't be charged. This is a great deal for the free amazon discount. Be sure to use the coupon soon, because the article doesn't mention the expiration for the coupon.
Enjoy guys!
dallascowboys

P.S. Now all of CAG can have an ECA membership!

Also, after you enter your CC number and the coupon, the page after lets you check everything before you submit your order. That way you know that the coupon worked and you won't be charged.

-----------------------

LinkinPrime Edit:

Check your spam filters for the confirmation link, if you signed up for the newsletter you will get 2 emails, one for the newsletter and one for the membership. For some reason the newsletter one showed up in my inbox and the membership was in my junk mail folder, so keep an eye out.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='slickkill77']You weren't kidding. Ok I found this on page 28. All credit goes to jacknicklson for the original faq (1-6).



ECA/Amazon FAQ

1. I can't get into the member's area/can't find out where to pay. Help!

After the initial registration email, you should receive a second email linking you to a payment page. You can request that this email be resent if need be. Make sure to check your junk/spam folders as well.

2. Will this work on consoles?

No. Games and most accessories only. Physical point cards are also eligible, but not digital point codes.

3. Do these work on Quick Picks/Deals of the Day/Trade-in Coupons?

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

4. How do I get my Quick Picks to show games?

http://betterelevation.com/2009/02/1...old-box-trick/
This should be a basis to get it to work for whatever you are interested in. It is not a science though so be persistent.

5. Does this work on Pre-orders?

Yes, it does. The price will also automatically take off 10% of whatever the final selling point is due to the Pre-Price Guarantee that Amazon offers.

6. I have heard that these offers have expired/been removed, is this true?

There have been a few instances where codes expired or they ran out but The ECA and Amazon have usually rectified the situation within a week or so. Also, the Terms of Service state that any membership benefits can change or be canceled without any notice so keep that in mind when signing up.


7. Double and Triple stacking

This is no longer possible. Don't bother trying. Originally when the ECA would run out of codes and switch to a new batch members were able to stack codes. A glitch in Amazon's system would keep older codes in your account, and it was possible to add codes from the newer batches to obtain more than 10% off. Amazon found out about this, hence the reason the codes are currently down/ being worked on.

8. Begging/Asking for codes

This is not allowed. If you beg/ask for a code you will be permabanned. No questions asked.

9. Selling codes

Definitely a big no no. If you do this, you will get reported to the ECA and your account will be shut down.

10. If I make a pre-order with a code a cancel it, will the code still work?
Yes. Codes should remain in your account but again they will no longer stack. It is one code per game. Amazon and the ECA are working on codes tied into our accounts but this option is not yet available.

11. If I already have a pre-order made, can I add a 10% off code to it?

You can not add a anything to an order once it is made except a gift card. You can try emailing Amazon customer support and ask them to add it. Generally they have no issue doing this for you but it's a crap shoot.

12. What if I already have a pre-order with the old codes applied? Should I be worried?

We don't know definitively, but chances are good that Amazon will not touch the pre orders we have already made.[/QUOTE]
 
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[quote name='buckythekat']it is going to be ugly that's for sure[/QUOTE]

No doubt.

In a bit, the codes will be permanently disabled by Amazon because of ECA's overzealous promotions and people's abuse of said codes.
 
[quote name='Armor42']Did anybody get the untrusted connection warning when using the emailed confirmation link when they signed up for the ECA a while back before it was free?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I did. I just backed out and started all over. Then it worked fine.
 
Look people, these things go under the radar, amazon.com doesn't notice ECA codes being used. It's dumbasses who call up amazon and sound like a total conman asking about an order that seems suspicious in itself. Stop being so damn shady you people..
 
[quote name='opportunity777']No doubt.

In a bit, the codes will be permanently disabled by Amazon because of ECA's overzealous promotions and people's abuse of said codes.[/QUOTE]


should of been a limit anyways.. maybe limit 5 or 10 codes per account

so you get 25 back for a 20 buck fee or even 10 codes would be 50 bucks tops for a 20 fee
 
Hold on do the codes stack? If I use one code then request a new one use it and keep doing that will that work. The way I keep reading the talk in the threads people act like it works like that. I thought it was just 10% off and you only could use one. I don't see amazon putting an end to a 10% off code that only works for gaming item. They will make that up from other things like sales of other non gaming items and chances are eca pays them some.

Also not everyone that will end up buying games off amazon will have the eca membership. Most wont know about eca and if they do they wont get it because they wont want to pay 19.99 because they wont know about the code to get it free.
 
[quote name='slidecage']should of been a limit anyways.. maybe limit 5 or 10 codes per account

so you get 25 back for a 20 buck fee or even 10 codes would be 50 bucks tops for a 20 fee[/QUOTE]

They should just put a cap on all those with free accounts. It'd have been better if it were more of a "free trial", than flat out membership.


[quote name='sendme']Hold on do the codes stack? If I use one code then request a new one use it and keep doing that will that work. The way I keep reading the talk in the threads people act like it works like that. I thought it was just 10% off and you only could use one. I don't see amazon putting an end to a 10% off code that only works for gaming item. They will make that up from other things like sales of other non gaming items and chances are eca pays them some.[/QUOTE]


All amazon codes stack, but you can only use one code per category. For example, you can stack a $30 off with the ECA but you can't stack 2 of each (like 2 ECA codes).
 
I don't see Amazon ending the 10% codes, because 10% is only a portion of the profit, and if even half of the sales that they make with it are people that might have bought the item at another store otherwise, they're coming out way ahead. I know that for me, ECA has made me considerably more likely to buy games from Amazon that I might have just gone and bought at Best Buy or somewhere else before -- I have multiple pre-orders in at Amazon now with ECA, when I hardly bought any games from them previously. I'm sure others are similar. It's more than likely as much of a winning deal for Amazon as it is for us.

Stacking, on the other hand, I would think they would start to limit or eliminate. I got the Beatles Rock Band bundle for $100 by using the 50% off code from the trade-in deal and an ECA code. They have to have lost money on that (hell, even just the 50% off code was probably a bit of a loss itself). I don't feel bad about it because they pretty much directly offered it to me by their own rules, I didn't scam them at all for it, and I've spent a ton of money at Amazon over the years, but still, I don't see how it could be a sustainable business practice.
 
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It's simple really, amazon doesn't need to pay rent for a store to run. They don't need to pay maintenance, store employees, or the rest of costs that a local Gamestop store or Walmart would need to pay. They have huge warehouses and get the games as cheap as anyone.They aren't going to cut these codes, like sendme said they most likely have some sort of agreement with ECA for giving their members 10% off.Sendme - You can only use 1 code per purchase, but I guess they're saying that people are buying all the games they can for as cheap as possible with codes added on. Maybe they end up selling them to make a dollar or 2 afterwards, which would be lame.
 
if amazon does take the 10% off if you been with gamefly for a year you can get the games for around the same price or cheaper via gamefly..

Disgaea 2 amazon 28.00 gamefly 22.49 keep it since you will be the first playing the game it just like buying it new off gamefly
 
[quote name='arcane93']I know that for me, ECA has made me considerably more likely to buy games from Amazon that I might have just gone and bought at Best Buy or somewhere else before -- I have multiple pre-orders in at Amazon now with ECA, when I hardly bought any games from them previously. I'm sure others are similar. It's more than likely as much of a winning deal for Amazon as it is for us.[/QUOTE]

Of course. My first brand new, on release game I've bought in a LONG time, was batman arkham asylum, collector's. So many discounts, SO MANY wow, but even after that I have a handful of more orders with them.

FFXIII versus with goldbox + eca, demon's souls and brutal legend with 1 30$ off and eca on both and finally resonance of fate with goldbox + eca as well. You're right and it's a logical easy to understand point. With eca, small price cuts and possible goldbox discounts, amazon might get a LOT of orders they wouldn't otherwise get.

But the question is are they still making enough of the orders? Everyone puffing out their chest with knowledge of business or knowledge of game inventory or what not can't say exactly how much amazon pays or knows how much business outside of gaming this is growing for them so in the end the ball is in amazon's court with us scratching our heads.
 
[quote name='arcane93']I don't see Amazon ending the 10% codes, because 10% is only a portion of the profit, and if even half of the sales that they make with it are people that might have bought the item at another store otherwise, they're coming out way ahead. I know that for me, ECA has made me considerably more likely to buy games from Amazon that I might have just gone and bought at Best Buy or somewhere else before -- I have multiple pre-orders in at Amazon now with ECA, when I hardly bought any games from them previously. I'm sure others are similar. It's more than likely as much of a winning deal for Amazon as it is for us.

Stacking, on the other hand, I would think they would start to limit or eliminate. I got the Beatles Rock Band bundle for $100 by using the 50% off code from the trade-in deal and an ECA code. They have to have lost money on that (hell, even just the 50% off code was probably a bit of a loss itself). I don't feel bad about it because they pretty much directly offered it to me by their own rules, I didn't scam them at all for it, and I've spent a ton of money at Amazon over the years, but still, I don't see how it could be a sustainable business practice.[/QUOTE]


If what you are saying is true, then Amazon would slash their video game/accessories prices by an additional 10% across the board (many new releases are already 10% below MSRP, not counting all the Amazon credit giveaways). However, the reality is that this is not some one-time use 10% code that will get customers to turn their heads towards Amazon and consider doing more business there because of the competitive pricing. This is turning out to be an out of control, unlimited use 10% code that anyone will have access to, and that's going to hurt Amazon's margins. Amazon is running a retail business, not MMO or Louis Vultton (where margins are at least 70-80%), lowering margins (especially by 10%) in retail without recouping it elsewhere is a big no no.

Sure, Amazon is a big business with lower costs than that of big chains like Best Buy, Walmart and Gamestop (who has to take in the costs of fronting a store), that's why their prices on new releases are below MSRP. With the 10% already off, ECA, goldbox savings, and gift card promotions, Amazon's margins are nearing zero, perhaps even negative on some deals. It doesn't matter how much traffic they get because of free access to 10% off codes, they will be losing more money the more they sell. Also, people who use ECA to shop at Amazon are probably less likely to add other marked up items in their cart (not related to video games), because the codes won't apply to items in other categories. At this point, Gamestop can sell significantly less copies and still make more money than Amazon.
 
[quote name='emeraldgsl'][img-l=5198]6006[/img-l]Get 10% off all your Amazon gaming purchases for a year and receive other special benefits by joining the ECA, a non-profit advocacy organization which is dedicated to defending and advancing the interests of gamers.

icon4.gif
Join the ECA $14.99 (college students & military), others $19.99


Complete list of discounts/benfits [hiddenlist]
Discounted games sales/rental offerings from:

  • Amazon.com - download a code from the Benefits section to use at Amazon.com towards 10% off your games purchases. If you buy three or more games a year, this benefit alone makes being a member worth it.
  • Direct2Drive.com - download your code from the ECA's exclusive member benefits section to use at Direct2Drive.com towards 10% off your game purchases.Direct2Drive's easy and secure system lets you download full pc games, arcade games, anime, game guides, and comics from home instead of dealing with waiting time and inventory stock-outs. Check out thier site for the best way to buy!
  • GameFly - is offering ECA members a 30-day free trial to their video game rental service.
  • Good Old Games - a leading destination for download-to-own DRM-free classic PC games, is offering members 20% off of new game purchases.
  • Newegg/Patriot Gaming - get $10 off when you buy select memory sticks.
Discounted admission/access offerings from:

  • NYComiCon - is offering members a discount on the price of admission.
  • Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) - members receive 10% off the price of admission to the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington for pre-registrants.
  • TooManyGames - get $1 off entry to gaming community events.
  • VGXPO - America's Video Game Expo is offering 10% discounted admission.
Discounted/Free Trial offerings from:

  • GameJobs - ECA members receive free resume uploads at GameJobs.com, the leading job board and career site serving the games business.
  • Hyatt Hotels - members receive a 5-10% discount on room rates at Hyatt Hotels throughout the US and Canada.
  • Prima Publishing - get 10% off of over 500 hint book and strategy guides.
  • Warcry - ECA members are invited to take advantage of a 30-day free trial membership in the Warcry Network's "Choice" program.
[/hiddenlist]


The ECA has posted that the current batch of codes will EXPIRE on 9/30/09

Codes are 1 time use each and you can generate a new one when needed for additional orders. :bouncy:[/QUOTE]
Meow. Sweet deal kitty.:bouncy::bouncy::bouncy:
 
[quote name='Jodou']Read my FAQ, friend.[/QUOTE]
I've read several on here and none of them are working. Please link it rather than make me search it so I can be sure it isn't one I have already tried.
 
[quote name='lllGurulll']I've read several on here and none of them are working. Please link it rather than make me search it so I can be sure it isn't one I have already tried.[/QUOTE]
It's in my sig o_O?
 
[quote name='dikomo']Looks like ECA coupon is out once again. I keep getting the same code just now.[/QUOTE]

lmfao, so lame. I did an order for things I probably won't buy from my goldbox today just to get another code figuring this would happen. Atleast that leaves me with that code, the one in my cart, and the last one I generate. Three should be ok, we'll see.

Tried to generate one myself as well, yes we're out, again. I wonder why :roll:
 
No way man, they only give 10% discount on games/accesories and expire on 9/30 by coincidence!

What do you use as the offense? Nothing I'm reading seems to jump out at me for why I'm reporting these listings.
 
[quote name='Vortextk']No way man, they only give 10% discount on games/accesories and expire on 9/30 by coincidence!

What do you use as the offense? Nothing I'm reading seems to jump out at me for why I'm reporting these listings.[/QUOTE]

I dunno what everyone else does, but I marked it as a prohibited item and pointed them to the ECA membership benefits page explaining the codes can't be sold. Basically, I left the rest up to common sense. It's the best I can do, lol.
 
I would look for something that says, illegal item for sale or something of that nature. I'll report it later, that's just bullshit, some people are really pathetic.
 
Some accessories, some. If you're not sure, try adding it with a code in your cart and go to the final page before ordering. If you don't have a free code, you're fucked, because they ran out.
 
[quote name='dikomo']Looks like ECA coupon is out once again. I keep getting the same code just now.[/QUOTE]
Is this any surprise? Thanks to the free membership frenzy these codes are getting swarmed.

Give it a while to get remedied. I think it was 4 or 5 days the last time they ran out.
 
Just reported those selling them on ebay. Someone had 10 up for sale. :roll:

Edit. Wow ebay already took all of them down except for one of them.
 
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While the ECA restocks Amazon codes, they really should just get in touch with Ebay. Since I doubt many of these people selling codes are that bright, seems like the ECA could easily get Ebay to give them the e-mails of the offenders (how many ways are there to get a 10% off video game only purchases at Amazon OTHER than ECA?), and cross-reference with their own database of registered accounts. I'm sure there would be quite a few fuckers caught with their pants down, out the money for what they paid the ECA plus whatever Ebay inflicts upon them.

I'm somewhat tempted to make a Best Offer for $0.01 on those codes, and under Additional Terms say that the seller must alert the ECA that they clearly breached the ECA agreement, linking the auction.

@gamer1233 - Probably so many of them are down since a hell of a lot of CAGs seem to have reported them. And yeah, that's pretty fucked up to hoard 10 codes. I love idiots like that who think they're the first to come up with this brilliant scheme and go way overboard.
 
Cannot generate anymore new codes, all thanks to the ECA's dumb decision to give everyone and their mom free memberships.

I knew this was going to happen.
 
[quote name='lee7sauce']Wow. At this rate, kiss goodbye Amazon 10% off codes.[/QUOTE]
Yup. I encourage you guys to go make posts on the ECA forums. There are quite a few people there that are not pleased with this decision.
 
Yikes, this promo code was like chum in shark infested waters. I was considering getting ECA membership and bit on the freebie, but coming back to figure out what's up with the codes... wow. Maybe next time they promo ECA they'll at least charge a few bucks to hold back the flood o' scammers. Guess I'll wait to see what happens next. Sucks for everyone who paid for this membership in the meantime, I'd be pissed if I were in that camp.
 
It truly boggles my mind pondering why they did not do UNIQUE codes in each issue of GameInformer. If that was the case, they'd get a cut of the magazine sales still (assuming that is what's happening) and we'd probably have more of a situation like the Wii Sports Resort $10 off codes.

Surely they had to know that in the past decade or so that any generic code like that will spread. Hell, just look at all the buzz they got back in late March when the news first hit about the 10% Amazon codes.

I am somewhat upset about it, as it could potentailly cut short the life of the 10% Amazon code. I'm reminded just last year of the 20% Cellfire coupon for GameStop used games, and how that died so quickly because of public exposure (well that and people printing off limited use coupons). I suppose I can hope for multi-use coupons, though if they tie to a single account I may have an issue, due to a rather technical snafu earlier this year that forced me to create a second account on Amazon, though that's my own unique burden I suppose.
 
Crap, I had Magna Carta 2 in my gold box and was going to come in here and see if anyone thought I should preorder that. I wish it didn't come out so soon as there's like nothing on it on the web even though it comes out in a few weeks supposedly.

But now that code usage is going to be limited (took a HELL of a long time for them to come back last time - a week or so) I may just lock in Demon's Souls since I get the most bang out of that.

But then, if something awesome shows up in my gold box that would suck... Dammit - I expected them to run out but not this quickly :roll:.

Edit - I forgot I had applied a code to my account but didn't use it last night - it was still there and still valid of course. I just made an order with Demon's Souls and Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain (since it was in my gold box). At least the codes apply to multiple items so if anyone has a last code to use and is worried about when they might come back just order a couple of things at once. Since I still have the last code generated on my ECA page, too, I now have one in reserve if something like Mass Effect 2 or FF XIII shows up in my gold box quick picks.
 
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I actually thought I heard they were looking to make it reusable codes.

Also, I'm sure these codes won't be used as much. I'm not sure when this news actually came out, but I just saw it today, which seems to be when most people did. A lot of idiots were trying to sell the codes on ebay, there might be a lot of people who don't even want to use the membership if they can't sell the codes or unless they can get a game for an amazing price, which most of the time it isn't all that much of a difference.

I hope for the best. This kind of stuff is a shame.
 
Good thing I hoarded 5, scratch that I only got 1 left after I ordered BRB, GH5, those cymbals, and ToV, codes as soon as the codes came back last time. I paid $15 so I deserve more codes than any free members. I said it and I meant it. Gotta preorder borderlands, AC2, scribblenauts, and probably a new PnC kit too. Now I'm pissed like the rest of you guys, only one code left. I guess it goes to borderlands since it comes out the soonest.

I emailed them about a prorated refund, but no response.
 
[quote name='V4oLDbOY']Good thing I hoarded 5 codes f*ckers. I paid $15 so I deserve more codes than any free members. I said it and I meant it. Gotta preorder borderlands, AC2, scribblenauts, and probably a new PnC kit too. I emailed them about a prorated refund, but no response.[/QUOTE]

That's the first thing I did when I heard about them offering free membership.
 
[quote name='lee7sauce']That's the first thing I did when I heard about them offering free membership.[/QUOTE]

Should have done that as well, I only got one left now. Arghhh, I felt like such a smart ass when I saw I had 5 left and now I feel like a sap.
 
Since there's already a limit to the number of codes Amazon provides ECA at a time, I don't think it's "out of control" from Amazon's perspective. If anything, it's going to be on ECA to explain to members who paid (particularly the ones who paid very recently) how come their access to codes has been even more impaired by the sudden influx of non-paying ones. The whole Amazon codes thing has been an issue for ECA since the beginning, anyways.
 
From my perspective, offering free membership 3 weeks before the codes expire is telling members (paid or non-paid) that there probably won't be codes in October and beyond.
 
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